Why Train "Stick Stuff"? How Arnis is Relevant to Self Defense

The Filipino Martial Arts (arnis/escrima/kali/eskrima) are pretty well represented in popular media, from comics to television to movies.

Yep, that's the Filipino Martial Arts. The Founder of Modern Arnis, Remy Presas, was once a Balintawak fighter.

Most Americans aren’t aware that Arnis or Escrima is a thing, or if they do, they wonder why “stick stuff” is relevant to all the reasons people train in the martial arts, especially in self defense.

Who walks around carrying a stick, right?

Let’s address that “who carries a stick” thing.

Like many Filipino Martial Arts, Presas Arnis training starts in the early stages primarily learning how to use a stick. In our system we use a 28” rattan stick.

The stick is not just a stick. It’s a stand-in for a lot of other things: sticks, knives, swords, but more importantly, in the United States, it’s a stand-in for things like folding umbrellas, pens, backpacks, and many other everyday objects people tend to have with them.

All things considered, in a self-defense situation, we think using a tool as a part of our personal protection strategy is wise.  For example, using a backpack, a messenger bag, or a purse to block incoming strikes and kicks, and to counter-attack long enough to get out of the situation is a good idea for most regular people.

A KPA student uses the "backpack defense" against a front kick

We designed our training at KPA to include direct training associated with self defense (which is not FIGHTING, by the way), including the use of improvised tools.

So what if there’s nothing handy to use in a pinch? Then we do what other martial arts do.

We have plenty of empty-hand drills and techniques.  Punching, kicking (we prefer low kicks), elbows, knees, traps, take-downs, and locks.  We also have the understanding that what you learn with a tool, you can do empty-handed (and vice-versa) - with some adjustments as necessary - so weapons training IS empty hand training.

If “the weapon is the extension of the hand”, then it goes both ways, with adjustments. With a stick or without a stick (or any other kind of tool), you’re still getting more active and learning techniques helpful in self defense.

There’s one more reason to train stick stuff: it’s SO FUN. It’s empowering, weapons are kinda cool, and we admit, we kind of feel like superheroes when we pull off a technique in class.

We have got to make the school grungier, apparently...

Come join us for a free trial lesson (click HERE) - and learn why “stick stuff” is practical AND fun (no tragic and/or gritty origin story required).